This invention relates generally to verification of filled pharmaceutical prescriptions, and more specifically to verification of filled pharmaceutical prescriptions remotely from the location where the prescription is filled.
Pharmaceutical prescriptions are ordered by medical practitioners to designate specific pills and other medicines for a patient. The medical practitioner typically writes the prescription, either by hand or electronically, and the prescription is transmitted to the pharmacy. At the pharmacy, the prescription is filled and a pharmacist on-site physically verifies that the prescription written by the medical practitioner matches the pills actually dispensed into a vial or other container. To verify the pills, the pharmacist reviews a label on the vial and reviews the pills actually dispensed into the vial. Any errors, including dispensing a wrong pill or a labeling error, can be dangerous for a patient. However, having a pharmacist on-site at each pharmacy physically reviewing pills is expensive, significantly increasing operating costs for a pharmacy, and often prohibiting a pharmacy from opening in areas that either lack a pharmacist or financially cannot justify opening a pharmacy.